Locomotive pilot coupler structure



J1me 1942- H. H. WOLFE 2,2875954 LOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTUREFiled March 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1942. H. H. WOLFELOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1940Jihfiwolfe,

June 30, 1942. H. H. WOLFE LQCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE FiledMarch 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JMW JaUfiT Voife,

Patented June 30, 1942 LOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE Harry H.Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company,Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 15, 1940, SerialNo. 324,171

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pilot couplers and moreparticularly to pilot couplers of the type disclosed in U. S. Patents2,104,846, 2,104,857 and 2,194,865. In those patents the pilot isprovided with a pocket containing a retractable coupler, and a door isarranged to close the pocket when the coupler is in retracted position.

An object of the present invention is to supply a retractable couplerhaving a longer shank than heretofore used with couplers of this type;the construction being such as to permit the use of the longer shankwithout the necessity of providing an excessively large pocket and doorin the pilot casting to accommodate the coupler. A longer shank coupleris particularly desirable on a locomotive when handling long cars wheremaximum lateral motion of the head of the coupler per degree of swivelis required.

As will be shown in detail later, I have accomplished this object mainlyby making the long shank in two parts namely the shank proper and a yokecasting. These parts are so assembled that, in operating position, theyare fixed with relation to each other, and the assembly swivels about apin at a greater distance from the coupler head than heretofore;providing greater lateral movement of the head per degree of swivel,while allowing the coupler, when being retracted, to pivot about theyoke at a point near the head; thereby eliminating the necessity offorming an excessively large opening and door in the pilot casting.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with .other objects in View,which will appear as the,

description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel featureshereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andmore particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a locomotive pilot couplerstructure made in accordance with the invention and showing the couplerretracted or housed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the coupler in extendedor coupling position.

Fig. 4. is a View like Fig. 2 but with the coupler in coupling position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section view partly in elevation, the section beingtaken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fi 3.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a detail.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of such detail.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a locomotive pilot or the like,having an opening I l in the rear of which there is a stationary castingl2 forming a pocket 13. The pocket is provided with a vertical wall [4having two horizontally extended lug portions Ma in which a verticalpivot pin I5 is mounted, the pin being inserted from below and having ahead It at its lower end which cooperates with a retaining pin I'idetachably secured in apertured ears I8 depending from the bottom i9 ofthe pocket casting. 7 A yoke 20 has its rear end pivotally mounted onthe pin [5 for movement horizontally, and the pin [5 is preferablyprovided with hearing bushings 2|.

A coupler 22 has a shank 23 pivotally connected to the yoke by means ofa vertical pin 24 which is preferably provided with bearing bushings 25and is secured in place by a retaining pin 26.

For the purpose of fixedly securing the yoke and shank to one another,the yoke is provided intermediate its ends with upper and lowerapertures 21 to accommodate a vertical, removable pin 28 which alsopasses through an aperture 29 in the rear end of the shank. A hole 30 inthe roof of the pocket casting allows removal of the pin 28. Normallythis pin is held in looking position by the fOllOWil'lg means. AnL-shaped bracket 35 is arranged at the top of the yoke 20 uppermostposition, the lug 34 maybeturned in a counterclockwise direction frombeneath the bracket 3!, and then the pin can be removed.

The pin serves adual purpose, as it is also used (when detached from theyoke and shank) to secure the yoke to the pocket casting'IZ. For thispurpose the yoke has a bearing shoe 35 provided with a hole 36 adaptedto be brought into register with a hole 31 in the floor 19. -When theholes are in register, the pin 28 can be inserted and when the coupleris in retracted position, the shank 23 will bedirectly above the pin toprevent the latter from moving up high enough to be detached from land35;

The shoe 35 acts as a sliding support for the coupler, and cooperateswith wear plates 38 mounted on the floor I 9 and on the bottom of shoe35. When in operating position, the coupler andyoke assembly can swivelabout pin IS a predetermined amount either side of the longitudinalcenter line of the pilot. Swivel beyond the predetermined degree isprohibited by a lug 39 of the shoe contacting with lugs 40 fixed to thefloor l9 at either side of the longitudinal center line.

A door 4| forclosing the opening II is fixed to the coupler and itsshank by means of webs 42, and such door has the same contour as thepilot so as to eliminate any projecting parts while the coupler is inretracted position. It is held in such position by a lug 43 arranged atone end of the door, and a latch 44 provided at the opposite end of thedoor. Obviously, these elements are adapted to cooperate with theportions of the pilot positioned at the ends of the doorway or openingII. V

The coupler head, in accordance with the present invention, is providedwith a short lock operating rod 45 which is operated from the guard arm43 side of the head, and is adapted to be housed with the coupling.

In operation, assuming the coupler to be in extended position and it isdesired to place it in retracted position, the coupler and yoke assemblyare turned as far as possible toward the door side of the assembly untilthe lug 39 contacts lug 4!! at the left. With the parts in thisposition, hole 33 in the yoke will be directly over hole 37. At thistime the pin 28 is removed from the holes 21 and 29 and inserted inholes 36 and 31. The yoke is now fixed with relation to the pilotcasting and the coupler is free to rotate with respect to the yoke aboutpin 24. Now the coupler is rotated counter-clockwise about the latterand this will cause the door to close the opening in front of the pilotcasting.

In changing the coupler from retracted position to operating position,the above described procedure is reversed. In this operation the couplerand door is turned from the fully retracted position about pin 24 in aclockwise direction until a lug 41 on one of the webs 42 contacts thevertical side of the yoke 23. This lug is so positioned that when itcontacts the side of the yoke the holes 2'! and 29 register. At thistime the pin 23 is removed from the holes 36 and 3'! and inserted in theholes in the coupler shank and yoke. The coupler is now in operatingposition.

The coupler and yoke assembly is turned to the door side position beforechanging pin 28 to holes3 and 3'3, so that definite stops 33 and 40 maybe provided to align holes 35 and 31. This also shortens the length ofthe door onthe side having the inclined edge 48.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustratedconstruction since these may be variously modified. Moreover, it is notindispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointlysince various features may be used to advantage in differentcombinations and sub-combinations. 7

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank beingpivotally connected together for horizontal movement with respect toeach other, and one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket, andmeans for detachably and substantially rigidly securing said sectionstogether and in substantial alignment with one another when in operativeposition,

2. In a pilot type coupler construction in which the coupler is housedin a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprisesa sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank being pivotallyconnected together for movement about an axis, one section beingpivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis parallel tothe first-mentioned axis, and means for detachably and substantiallyrigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignmentwith one another when in operative position.

3 In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a sectional coupler shank, one

section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axisthe other section being pivotally mounted on the first-mentioned sectionfor movement about an axis parallel to the first-mentioned axis andprovided with a coupler head, and means for detachably and substantiallyrigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignmentwith one another when in operative position.

i. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a sectional coupler shank, one section being pivotally mountedin the pocket for horizontal movement about a vertical axis, the othersection being provided with a head and pivotally mounted on thefirst-mentioned section for horizontal movement about a vertical axisarranged parallel to the first mentioned axis, and means for detachablyand substantially rigidly securing said sections together and inalignment when in operativeposition.

5. ma pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a'sectionalcoupler shank, the sections of the shank beingmovably connected together for movement about an axis, one of thesections being movably mounted in the pocket for movement about an axisparallel to the first mentioned axis and supporting the other section,and means for detachably and substa'ntially'rigidly securing saidsections together and in substantial alignment with one another when inoperative position.

6. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a sectional coupler shank,the

sections of the shank being pivotally connected together and one sectionbeing pivotally mounted in the pocket, means detachably andsubstantially rigidly connectii'ig saidsectio'ns together and insubstantial alignment with one another when in operative position andreleasable means for fixedly securing said pivotally mounted section inthe pocket.

7. In a pilot typecoup'ler' construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a-pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a sectional coupler' shank, the sections ofthe shank being 'movably connected together for movement about an axis,releasable means fixedly securing 'thesectionstogether and insubstantial alignment with one another when in operative position, onesection being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axisparallel to the first-mentioned axis.

8. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank beingmovably connected together for movement about a vertical axis,releasable means fixedly securing the sections together and insubstantial alignment with one another when in operative position, onesection being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about avertical axis spaced from the firstmentioned axis.

9. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupleris housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement whichcomprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yokesection being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about avertial axis, the head section being connected to the yoke section forhorizontal movement with respect to said yoke section, and releasablemeans for fixedly securing the sections to one another when in operativeposition.

10. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yokesection, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket formovement about a vertical axis, the head section being movably connectedto the yoke section, and releasable means for fixedly securing thesections to one another when in operative position, the pocket beingprovided with a track, and the yoke section having a portion movablysupported by said track.

11. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yokesection, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket formovement about a vertical axis, the head section being movably connectedto the yoke section, releasable means for fixedly securing the sectionsto one another and in substantial alignment with one another when inoperative position, and releasable means for fixedly securing the yokesection in the pocket,

12. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yokesection, the rear end portion of the yoke section being pivotallymounted in the pocket for movement about an axis, means pivotallyconnecting the front end portion of the yoke section to the medialportion of the head section to permit the head section to movehorizontally relatively to the yoke section, and releasable means forfixedly securing the sections together and in substantial alignment whenin operative position.

13. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, one

of the sections of the shank being pivotally mounted in the pocket, asecond one of the sections of the shank being pivotally connected to thefirst mentioned section for movement in a horizontal plane, saidsections being provided with apertures adapted to register with oneanother when said sections are in substantial alignment with one anotherand the coupler is in operative position, said pocket being providedwith a pin receiving aperture, and a pin adapted to pass through thelast-mentioned aperture and into the registering apertures of saidsections for substantially rigidly connecting said sections to oneanother.

14. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections ofthe shank being movably connected together, said sections being providedwith apertures, a pin extending through said apertures for fixedlysecuring the sections together, a lug projecting from the pin, a bracketfixed to one of the sections and adapted to receive said lug, and alatch for securing the lug in the bracket.

15. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yokesection, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket formovement about a vertical axis, the head section being pivotally mountedin the yoke section for movement about an axis arranged parallel to saidvertical axis, means for detachably and rigidly securing said sectionstogether and in substantial alignment with one another when the coupleris in operative position and a door for the pocket carried by the headsection.

16. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, theimprovement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yokesection, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket formovement about a vertical axis, the head section being pivotally mountedin the yoke section for movement about an axis arranged parallel to saidvertical axis, means for detachably and rigidly securing said sectionstogether and in substantial alignment with one another when the coupleris in operative position, a door for the pocket carried by the headsection, a supporting track in the pocket,

and a shoe connected to the yoke section and supported by said track.

17. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which thecoupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, a yoke, meanspivotally supporting the yoke for movement about a vertical axis, acoupler having a shank member extending into the yoke, means pivotallyconnecting the shank and yoke and permitting the coupler head and shankto turn about a vertical axis relatively to the yoke, and releasablemeans for fixedly securing the shank and yoke to one another when thecoupler is in operative position.

HARRY H. WOLFE.

